11 Photos Of Jade Carey & Her Dad Celebrating Her Gold Medal Win

On Aug. 2, 2021, Team USA Gymnast Jade Carey won her first-ever gold medal in the floor exercise at the Tokyo Olympics.

Carey’s impressive floor routine featured multiple flips and twists that earned the gymnast a score of 14.366. She was the only U.S. athlete in the event after Simone Biles chose not to participate in order to focus on her mental health.

Carey told TODAY that her father Brian’s first words after her win made her incredibly emotional. “He said, ‘You did it, you’re an Olympic champ!’ And then I almost started crying,” she revealed. “I think I did cry, actually.”

“It’s really special to be able to get this medal with him out there by my side,” Carey told CNN.

Carey is the third U.S. gymnast in a row to win gold in the event. She follows in the footsteps of Simone Biles, who won at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Aly Raisman, won at the 2012 London Olympics.

Carey revealed that prior to her floor exercise, Biles gave her the encouragement she needed to let go of her past worries and do her best. “She said, ‘It happened, and you can’t do anything about it,’” Carey told NPR. “She was like, ‘Let’s go out and kill floor,’ and that’s what I did.”

Carey also received a few words of wisdom from her father/coach, who according to The New York Times, told her: “Yesterday was one of the worst days of your life, but today can be one of the best days of your life.”

“[This medal] means everything to me,” Carey told TODAY. “This is all I’ve ever dreamed of and all I’ve ever worked for and I’m really glad it paid off tonight.”